


Haunted Past

by GreatDarkProtection



Series: Tell me everything, Grant [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Other, all relationships come later, can be triggering, contains physical and mental abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 10:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2384420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreatDarkProtection/pseuds/GreatDarkProtection
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"My parents," he sighed like the thought of them caused him physical pain.....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haunted Past

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so this came about after I watched the season two premiere and got my heart crushed by Ward. I hope you like it.  
> WARNING: this has mentions of suicide and both physical and mental abuse, can be triggering.

“My parents,” he sighed like the thought of them caused him physical pain, “were wonderful people. In public. My mother was a highly respected, extremely intelligent doctor. She had a magnetic personality, all her patients loved her. And my father,” he took another shaky breath, “was a politician. Very charming, one of those smiles that made you want to trust him. He stood for great things, he had great ideas. They were both incredible people. In public. But in private,” he shuddered out another breath and his eyes closed tightly, looking like he was fighting back tears, “they were awful. Always screaming, always angry. My father liked to take his work home and when he got frustrated, he took it out on us. Maynard was his protégé,” he said bitterly, his eyes full of hatred and a rare emotion for him: fear.  
“He enjoyed hurting me and Dana and Rose. It gave him some kind of sick joy. Father thought it was great. Told him he would make a great politician one day. He never had the same hopes for me. I remember one time he was losing votes for some policy and he was really angry at Dana for suggesting he alter not the policy, but his speech in explaining it. When I could see that he planned one punishing him for the comment, I told him the policy was stupid and he was an idiot for thinking anyone would agree with it. That did the trick,” his face was haunted, his eyes unseeing as he relived the horrifying event. “He turned to me and said ‘Are you trying to protect him, Grant? Do you want to be a hero?’” his voice took on a low, angry whisper-like quality that was terrifying, “’You’ll be lucky to work at a grocery store, you moron,’ he said ‘You’re weak, you’re stupid. You’re the biggest excuse for a Ward I’ve ever seen. You could never be a hero.’ And then he,” he broke off suddenly, his voice cracking, and closed his eyes tightly, shaking his head, “I couldn’t walk for two days. He told my principal that I had fallen down the stairs.”  
He took a deep, steadying breath and kept talking, “My mother wasn’t much better. She didn’t punch me or kick me a lot, but she would put things in my food that would make me throw up or slip in things she knew I was allergic to and withhold medicine until I agreed to do all these things for her, which was hard to do sometimes when my throat’s swollen and I can’t breathe. But her words,” he shook his head, his expression pained, “her words were the worst. ‘Do you think you’re special, Grant? Do you think you can live up to your name? You’re weak. It’s disgusting. You don’t deserve the honor of being a Ward. No, you don’t deserve the privilege of being alive. Why are you alive? Why don’t you just kill yourself? No one wants you here anyway. Go ahead, do it. It’s gonna happen eventually, might as well do it now.’ I guess she was right about one thing,” he sighed, running his fingers lightly across the scars on his wrists.  
He sighed again and rubbed his eyes, “Maynard was a mini version of my father. He would tie me to chairs and force me to watch him beat Dana. And then, when he got bored with that, he would make me do it. And when I couldn’t or wouldn’t do it, he’d force me to watch him beat Rose. She was such a smart girl. Sweet, too. Maynard was particularly harsh with her. She was so beautiful and talented, I think he felt threatened. My mother loved to exploit her, put her in pageants and talent shows, anything to show her off. Regardless of her health. One time I had to try to nurse Rosie back to health after she collapsed on stage because of dehydration. Mom freaked out and played the part of the worried mother but when we got home, she slapped Rose and told her she was a disappointment and to stop being so melodramatic. She was twelve when I was sent to military school at fifteen. Dana was only nine. He was my favorite person in the world. I loved him more than anyone. I hate myself every day for not being able to protect him. I know what I’ve done is wrong and I don’t expect forgiveness from anybody. I’m not asking for it, but if there was anyone I would beg for forgiveness from, it would be Dana.”  
“Good session, Grant,” the therapist said soothingly, and he nodded, swallowing thickly, “Maybe next time we can talk about the team.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the pain, I had a lot of feels. Tell me what you think! I think I'm going to make it a series. ALSO i made this last week right after the premiere and now we've got a politician Maynard (I think) and a "beloved" and respected Ward family. So I just wanted everyone to know that I. Called. It. Haha sorry. And for those of you who are reading A Convenient Friendship, I'm sorry I haven't updated recently, I have had some severe writer's block and an awful sickness that just recently started to get better. If anyone has any stories of an awkward dinner with your boyfriend/girlfriend's family, please tell me, I could use the inspiration.


End file.
